Author's Note: Back by very popular demand...here's the next part! Before you go crazy YES there will be more and it will be longer than one chapter. Let me know what you think! What's awesome, what sucks, and what's (if anything) missing! Thanks for reading and hopefully the next chapter won't take as long!

Still not mine...some angst.

Two weeks later…

I couldn't drive anymore. My butt was permanently numb now, which was good, now that it matched the rest of my body.

I got out and looked at the small town in front of me. This was good. Fresh air, new people and no Burg. But it was still missing something…

It was missing someone.

No, I'm not going to think about him. He's married and happy. I was moving on. I picked up the phone and dialed Lula.

"Hey there white girl. What's new?"

"I think I found my new town."

"Awesome. Where?"

"Montana."

I have failed.

I tend to let my actions speak louder than words, but now it has backfired on me. I thought that she knew how much I loved her. Who in their right mind would let her drive around a Porsche Boxster knowing her car history?

A man in love, that's who.

I knew that I loved her when I made the DeChooch deal, but it wasn't until the morning after that I realized how much. I realized that I didn't want to ever leave. I wanted to give her a house in the Burg. I wanted to give her a ring. I wanted to come home to see her swollen with my child and another on her hip while Ella cooked dinner.

And it scared me shitless.

From then on, I dodged her as much as I could. Saying stupid shit like, 'I love you…in my own way', or 'my love doesn't come with a ring, but a condom may come in handy' or 'I don't do relationships'. The last one was true, but for her, I'd give up my life.

And I almost had.

When Scrog popped into our lives, I realized that I was willing to do anything for her. The thing is, I couldn't find the courage to tell her. I figured walking in and getting shot was enough, but I guess not.

Sometimes she can be so dense.

"I'm calling in my favor." I said into the phone. "Meet me in one hour."

"So what do I owe this pleasure, Carlos?" Maria asked as I sat down across from her. Her arms were crossed and she was looking over every person in the restaurant.

"I need a favor."

"You said that over the phone. What is it?"

"I need you to marry me."

She turned and looked at me, and then looked away. "Is this about Stephanie?"

I ignored the question.

"Come on, Carlos. You're not reckless and that's what you always said about marriage."

"She has nothing to do with this."

"She has something. You gave her your favorite car; she blew it up and nothing."

I smirked. "You've been talking to Lester again."

"No," I looked up at her. "Your mother."

"I need this."

"She break your heart?"

"No, nothing like that."

She stared at me. "You love her."

I ignored her again. "Are you in or not?"

She sat back and crossed her arms again. "Fine, but your mother's not going to like it. She thinks too highly of her."

"I don't care what my mother thinks." I said gruffly.

Now I'm sure that you're wondering why I would go through all this trouble to stay away from Stephanie. The truth is that I could never keep her safe enough. Someone would get her and eventually kill her. At least this way she's safe and alive where I can breathe. Because I wouldn't be able to survive if she wasn't alive.

Maria was the best of the best. I wouldn't admit it in public, but she was better than me. She could handle being Mrs. Manoso and all the crazies that come along with the name. Plus she wouldn't nag me about every little thing because she's been there. I thought I had everything under control.

That is, until I saw her at the wedding.

She looked…beyond words. I am not a romantic man, but the only way to describe her would be in thousands of sonnets and poems. I knew that I couldn't look at her or I would lose control, swing her over my shoulder and make love to her until she couldn't remember a goddamn thing.

As we danced our final dance, I felt the questions rolling through her head. I wanted to answer each one and every question she asked for the rest of her life, but I couldn't.

I loved her too much to put her into danger.

It crushed me when she felt unworthy. She would never know how worthy she was and I was the unworthy one. I wasn't worthy of anything she was willing to give me.

I died the day at the office.

She was broken, shattered, and I couldn't do anything about it.

I was the cause.

All these years, I thought she was the one that was dense, but in reality, it was me.

The second she walked out of the alley, she took my heart with her.

She was leaving and there was no way to stop her. I saw the look of determination on her face and knew no one was going to get in her way. I remembered the first time I saw her with that look. She was going after Morelli and he had handcuffed her to the shower rod. When I came to get her, she looked determined to get him

That or kill him.

I'd never been prouder, or more in love.

"Uh-oh." Maria said when I entered the door of my office.

"What?"

"You saw Stephanie. You got this goofy look on your face."

"That's because I kneed Cal in the head."

"Carlos, you know that I love you in a complete sibling way, but this isn't fair to me. I don't want to be the woman that gets you off while you think of her. If you love Stephanie, then maybe you should tell her."

I shook my head. "She's gone."

This got her to sit up. "Gone? How do you know?"

I smiled. "I just know."

She sighed. "Then maybe its time to start running."

I raised an eyebrow.

"After her. God Tank was right. You really are stupid." She rolled her eyes.

Maybe it was.